The present invention relates to a depilatory device for removing body hair, such as used for cosmetic purposes. The invention of the present application is particularly applicable to the depilatory device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,375 assigned to the same asignee as the present application, and is therefore described below with respect to this type of device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,375 discloses a depilatory device for removing body hair comprising a manuallygrippable housing, an electric motor within the housing, and a hair-plucker body rotatably mounted to the housing and having an exposed section formed with a plurality of gaps in its outer surface which open and close during the rotation of the hair-plucker body to receive, pluck, and eject body hair growing on a surface over which the hair-plucker body is moved. The hair-plucker body is coupled to the motor and is supported in an arcuate position such that the gaps open at the convex side of the body during its rotation by the motor to receive the hairs, and close at the concave side of the body to pluck the hairs.
In the embodiment of the invention described in that patent, the hair-plucker body includes a resilient, flexible, cylindrical member of plastic material having a smooth outer surface formed with a plurality of slits penetrating only partially through the plastic cylindrical member and extending circumferentially thereof such that the slits open at the convex side of the plastic cylindrical member and close at the concave side during the rotation of the plastic cylindrical member.